Respect and Bonds
by Houkaru Kisaragi
Summary: What if the Management Team of Jurassic World realized the Indominus Rex must be tamed after she ate her sibling? What if Owen was tasked to train the new hybrid alongside with his raptors? Claire may not like it, but she would never know how drastic her future had changed.
1. Chapter 1

Author Note: Okay. I just watched the movie and I really like the relationship between Owen and his raptors. So I came up with this idea of Owen training the I-Rex too.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jurassic Park.

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

"What?" Owen Grady, a former Navy Veteran, was not very amused by the sudden decision corporate had for him. He had left his post as a Navy Lieutenant because he loved animals and he really wanted to put his degree in zoology to good use. Imagine his surprise when a multibillion organization hired him to train supposedly extinct dinosaurs. He thought some delusional nut-job was pulling a very bag prank on him at first, but when he was invited to the island, he was awestruck.

Nevertheless, Owen was not pleased. "My job's objective was quite clear. I'm hired to train raptors."

"Mister Grady, I think you-"

"Mister Grady?" The ex-Navy arched a brow. "Seriously?"

Claire Dearing stifled the annoyance boiling inside her and mustered a calm composure. "Owen. I hope you're not too busy to come with me-"

"I'm pretty busy." Owen interjected crudely before he took a swig of his cola.

The beautiful redhead shifted uncomfortably, something that the ex-Navy noticed. "We got a new attraction."

"That's not what you said the last time I saw you." Owen was suppressing the impish grin on his lips and stood up from his seat.

Claire ignored the subtle implication and cleared her throat. "I'm talking about the dinosaurs, Mister Grady."

"Owen." The ex-Navy corrected as he stalked towards the redhead.

"W-We," Claire flailed her hand to defend herself from the buzzing fly that was irking her. "We have a new species that need to be evaluated-"

Owen rolled his eyes and caught the nuisance. "You went to make a new dinosaur?"

The redheaded manager sighed. "That's kinda what we do here."

Approaching his toolbox, the ex-Navy tried to maintain a placid tone. He didn't quite like where this conversation was heading to. He might have feelings for Claire, well he thinks he still do, but that didn't mean he would allow her to walk all over him. "And how does that got to do with me?"

"As I mentioned earlier, corporate acknowledges your skills. You are capable of taming and controlling the raptors. It is something unimaginable, even to the management. They believe that you have what it takes to control this new specimen of ours." Claire elaborated hastily before Owen could interrupt her. "This new specimen of ours is a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur."

"I don't control the raptors." Owen smirked. "They are highly intelligent animals. They obey me because we share a relationship. It's called mutual respect. I never seek to control them in the first place. I bet you don't understand half of what I just said. After all, control is what you do. That's the reason why you and I never have a second date."

Claire was hurt by Owen's declaration. It really stung her ego… and something else. But she refused to show it. She would never expose her vulnerability to anybody. Regaining her bearing, she countered, "Excuse me. I never wanted a second date."

"Who brings an itinerary for a nights-out."

"I'm an organized person." Claire argued.

"What kind of diet doesn't allow tequila?"

The redhead blinked. "All of them. And what kind of man showed up to a date in broad short?"

"It's Central America." Owen shrugged and responded in a matter-of-fact tone. "It's hot."

"Okay. Can we just focus on the asset please?"

"Asset?" The ex-Navy cocked a bemused brow. "Look. I get it. You're the Operation Manager of this place. You gotta make tough decisions. It's probably easier if you perceive those dinosaurs as some numbers on a spreadsheet. But they're not. They're alive. They're not something you can just control so easily."

"Look. I'm just doing my job." Claire sighed. "Corporate wants you to train the Indominus Rex."

Owen tilted his head with an amused grin on his face and crossed his powerful arms. "Indominus Rex? What kind of name is that?"

"It's easier to pronounce. Most importantly, it sounds scary. You should hear kids pronouncing Piatnitzkysaurus. Anyway, corporate believes you have the skills to tame the Indominus Rex. Its birth has bred many… unwanted complications. Corporate wants them resolved. Fast."

"What sort of complications are we talking about?"

"It ate its sister." Claire pinched the bridge of her nose. "And it has exhibited many highly-sophisticated traits that are beyond even our scientists' comprehension. Its intelligence is one of the kind, actually. Our investors have paid big dollars for the creation of the Indominus Rex. Neutralizing it is not an option. Corporate believes you can keep its temper down a few notches. We don't want anything to go wrong when its exhibition commences to the public."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you guys just created a very violent and smart dinosaur and you realize how dangerous it could become. And you wanted me to clean up your mess."

Claire blinked. "That's a crude way of putting it, but yes."

Owen tossed his towel on a nearby table and strode past the redhead. "I'm not doing this for the company. I'm doing this because you asked me to."

Suppressing her urge to blush, Claire straightened herself. Owen may be your typical goofy hunk who loves to tease girls whenever he has the chance, but Claire knew he was a responsible and reliable individual. He was once a Navy officer. "Well, if you may, change your clothes. The Indominus Rex is very sensitive to… stench."

"It's manly stench!" Owen yelled as he walked towards his bungalow.

The redhead couldn't help but giggle a bit.

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

On their trip towards the designated enclosure, Claire was unnerved. Owen was being uncharacteristically quiet. He didn't say much and simply stared through the windscreen of her car. This was not how she expected Owen to be. Breaking the awkward silence, Claire spoke. "S-So, care to tell me how you train those raptors of yours?"

Owen blinked, as if coming out of a trance and registered the question. "I was there when they hatched from their eggs. They imprinted on me. It's why we can establish a connection. The rest is just cautious training and constant caring."

"I see." Claire swallowed. "Um…"

"I wanted to talk about _that_ night." Owen interjected. "It has been troubling me for quite a while when I thought about it. I just want to apologize for ruining our date. I shouldn't have asked you to drink."

Claire sighed. "I… It's not your fault. I was too uptight. I never really went on dates often and I just didn't know what to do when you asked me out. That's why I brought along an itinerary with me in case I screwed up. I… I just… I'm sorry. I should have just drank that tequila and go with the flow."

"No, No! It's okay. I respect your decision." Owen smiled. "A man should never impose things on a woman."

That comment actually stir the butterflies inside Claire's stomach. She felt her cheeks heat up and she struggled to fixate her attention on the road. Despite the brute exterior, Owen was sensible. She knew that. She was just too prideful to denounce her first impression about him. "Thank you."

"No. Thank you." Owen chuckled. "I mean, if things went smoothly, perhaps we can try for a second date?"

Claire broke into a small smile. "Perhaps."

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

"So, this is the Indominus Rex? This is the mighty and frightening monster that your scientists have cooked up in the lab?" Owen placed his hands on his hip and stared impassively at the rather unimpressive dinosaur before him. It stood barely two-meters tall and had unique snow-white scales. It was hiding behind a tree, discerning its visitor with piqued interest.

But it looked… timid to him. Still, looks could be deceiving. Owen knew that. He just couldn't fathom how this beast manage to scare the living hell out of the scientists.

"This asset is still young." Claire argued. "But it is strong. It is meant to outgrow a Tyrannosaurus Rex. So please do not underestimate its capability to kill."

"I will never underestimate it." The ex-Navy paced around the chamber in deep contemplation. "Does it has a gender? Or a name?"

"It is a female. And yes. It has a name. The Indominus Rex."

"No. Not that name." Owen rolled his eyes. "I meant like its-"

The redhead stared at the ex-Navy with confusion.

Heaving a defeated sigh, Owen waved a dismissive hand. "Never mind. Anyway, I need the profile of her DNA splice. I need reports of her diet and her behavior patterns. Since she's a female, like my raptors, I think it is safe for me to say that she is prone to mood swings. I also need footage of her killing her sibling."

If Claire was dumbfounded, she was professional enough not to show it. "Why do you want so much information about it?"

Owen cocked a brow and stared incredulously at the redhead. "Why do I need all these information? You need me to train her, correct? How am I going to train her if I don't understand all the fundamental about her? What? Do you think I train my raptors through unprepared crash-course? I put tons of research into them before I started training my raptors. This is not a driving simulator. They are animals. If I want to train them, I need to know everything there is to know about them."

"Well…" Claire shifted uncomfortably. "In regards to the Indominus Rex's DNA information, it is unfortunately classified. I cannot disclose that information to you."

The ex-Navy smirked. "Classified? Don't give me that crap. You don't know anything about that too, do you?"

"I'm an Operation Manager." The redhead defended herself. "I don't need to know anything about this assets. I just need to ensure they won't pose a threat to the public and affect this theme park's reputation."

"Whatever." Owen recalled what Claire had said about the context of the creature and mused. "You said something about it being a hybrid dinosaur? Do you have any information about its intelligence?"

"Yes. I have read a couple of reports about its intelligent capacity. But we don't have any adequate data about the extent of its intelligence. That's where you come into play." Claire folded her arms and queried in a monotone. "But why do you need that video of her killing her sibling? It's gruesome and-"

"I need to know what motivates her to kill." Owen countered with a somber deposition.

Claire nodded. "Very well. I will get it for you asap-"

"Nah." A mischievous smirk graced his lips as he winked at her. "How about you give me those files over dinner? Tonight. Seven. I know this nice restaurant that just opened at the park. We can have dinner and catch-up. You can give me what I need. It's a win-win."

The redhead cleared her throat. "Mister Grady, I-"

"Owen." The ex-Navy corrected with amusement gleaming in his eyes; he loved riling the women up. It was really fun watching the strict and proper Operation Manager flustered. "So?"

Claire tided the lapel of her jacket and steadied herself. "F-Fine. I'll be waiting outside my office at six-thirty. Don't be late."

Owen punched the air with childish joy and beamed. "I won't disappoint."

The redhead spun around in haste and walked with jaunty steps towards the exit. "And don't you dare wear broad shorts."

"Yes ma'am."

Owen watched as Claire's retreating frame took a sharp turn around the corner. When he shifted his attention back to the cage, he nearly stumbled backwards in surprise. The Indominus Rex stood right outside the glass barrier, staring with great intensity at him. She was snarling and salivating, as if conniving a plan to get to him. If it wasn't for the glass, Owen knew she would pounce at him without hesitation.

"You really got me there." Owen chuckled sheepishly. "Can you hear me?"

The ex-Navy turned to the security guard sitting at the corner of the chamber and asked, "Hey, can she hear me?"

The guard merely shrugged. "Meh. The glass is strong, but it isn't soundproof. She can definitely hear you. But I bet it's too dumb to understand what you're saying."

Owen ignored the guard's mocking guffaw and returned his attention to the Indominus Rex. "I'm pretty sure you're not that dumb. I will come back for you tomorrow, Ingrid."

The Indominus Rex tilted her head, as if trying to decipher what Owen meant.

"That's right. That's your name. Ingrid." The ex-Navy smirked. "You better remember that."

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

So, this is a short story of what would happen if Owen was contacted to train the Indominus.

I hope you guys like this story and let me know what you think.

Review!


	2. Chapter 2

Author note: Jurassic World is really a great movie. I really like how they explore the possibility of human and dinosaur relationships. It's not those old movies where the dinosaurs are just animals.

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

Owen was mentally prepared for date night. Well, he thought he was. Okay, he's not really prepared.

He didn't really have much experience with dating girls. But that doesn't meant he would back down from it. He genuinely wanted to know more about Claire. He wore his best outfit. Leather jacket, muscle shirt, jeans and sneakers. That was his combo. Well, it was his only combo.

Owen stood outside the park's management building, waiting for his date. There were staff who were whispering amongst themselves while sneaking glances at him. It didn't bother him much, but the attention was starting to vex him. When Claire ambled out of the elevator, Owen was flabbergasted. She was wearing an elegant red dress that hugged her curves; she was stunning and… gorgeous.

When Claire stood before him, he whipped out a bouquet of flowers from his back, much to the redhead's surprise. "This is for you."

"Wow." Claire blinked and accepted the gift; she didn't know Owen was capable of being sweet. "Thank you. You look… different."

"You look different too." Owen chuckled. "And even more beautiful than I could imagine."

A pink tint graced Claire's cheeks and she averted her gaze. "W-We should go."

"Yeah. The restaurant is down the corner." Owen decided to test the water and gently grabbed Claire's wrist. She jolted lightly from the sudden touch, but didn't slap it off. With a jubilant smile tugging at his lips, Owen guided a very flustered Claire to the restaurant.

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

"So, I said, 'Do I look like your mother?' And she started running away!"

Claire burst into laughter. She thought the dinner would be a disaster, but she was wronged. Owen had kept her chortling with his jokes since they entered the restaurant. The place wasn't posh or extravagant, but the ambience was pleasant and really romantic. She was sensitive to the smell of smoke and she had established that in their first date; she was glad Owen remembered it, because the restaurant strictly forbid smoking.

She was just captivated by his smile, his sensibility and his sense of humour.

"You know. I haven't seen you smile like that before. You really look beautiful when you smile like that."

The redhead tried to contain her blush and coughed. "Are you implying that I only look beautiful when I smile?"

Owen blinked and went onto defensive mode. "N-No! Not at all. I'm just saying you look more beautiful when you smile. I don't mean-"

Claire broke into a giggling frenzy and her eyes had a glint of mischief. "I'm just kidding. But it's always nice to watch you stammering, tough guy."

The ex-Navy deadpanned. "It's not funny."

"It's a little funny." The redhead argued and let out another giggle. "So, tell me more. Why motivates you to be the glorified raptor whisperer? The one who communicates with the raptors. The lizard hunter."

"I like animals." Owen answered with a nonchalant shrug.

"Why not the triceratops? I mean… the kids love riding the small ones."

A charming grin curled at Owen's lips. "I prefer my animals with a little attitude. What about you? Why did you choose to work in a theme park filled with dinosaurs?"

Claire smiled. "I like animals too."

"Now that." Owen took a sip of juice and grinned. "That is very cheeky."

"Well, truth is, I came here on a scholarship. My parents weren't rich or anything. My sister and I have to work to pay for college. Masrani Global Corporation was the one who sponsored my scholarship. That's how I really end up here." Claire sighed. "What about you. Do you have any siblings?"

Owen leaned back into his chair and smiled weakly. "I'm an orphan."

"I-I'm sorry, I was-"

"It's fine! Really." The ex-Navy shrugged it off. "I'm used to it. I grew up in foster care. The kids in the neighbourhood used to poke fun of me. I was an angry kid, actually. Cause quite a lot of trouble for my foster parents. But they were good people. Long story short. They passed away when I was twelve. I went into the Navy. Got myself a degree and next thing I know, I was hired to work here."

"I see," Claire said softly. "Do you enjoy working here?"

"As I said, I like animals," Owen replied light-heartedly. "I actually intent to leave once my contract expires. Higher-ups want me to stay because of my work with my raptors. But I guess I found myself another reason to stay."

Claire diverted her eyes away and fidgeted her fingers when Owen stared at her with a smile.

"S-So, tell me why did you refuse corporate's offer for an employee's accommodation?" The redhead hastily asked as a way to change the subject. Her heart was beating very fast when she caught glimpses of Owen's alluring smile. "All employees are subjected to free accommodation for their work in the park. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, so?" The ex-Navy snorted. "I rather stay in my bungalow. It's comfy and nice. I prefer surrounding myself with nature. It keeps me focus."

"You're a caveman." Claire laughed.

Owen pouted. "Say whatever you want, but I'll pick my bungalow over those confining apartments any time. You should come down someday. I'll show you around."

The ex-Navy said that last statement with an impish smirk.

The redhead rolled her eyes. "It's not gonna work on me, okay? I'm not your typical demure girl who gets charmed so easily."

"What on earth are you talking about? I really want to show you around my bungalow. I didn't say anything about asking you to spend your night there. I mean… if you want, I wouldn't mind."

"Ha, ha. Very funny." Claire rummaged her bag and dug out a thumb-drive. "Here you go. I've tried my best to get as much information as I can for your new assignment. I also have my assistant sent over all the relevant documents to your house. It should be there twenty minutes ago."

"That's very efficient of you."

"That's what I do." Claire raised her head and a proud smirk graced her face.

The ex-Navy chuckled at that.

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

The evening date went surprisingly well. Owen walked Claire back to her executive apartment after the dinner. He didn't accompany the redhead into her house, not because he couldn't, but because he didn't want to ruin their relationship. He was really fond of her presence and he hoped their relationship could blossom into something else.

He didn't want to rush things and screw it up.

True to her words, when he reached his bungalow, he found a stack of files lying on his porch. The first thing he did was to watch the video. He spent three long hours watching the footage.

And what he saw disgusted him.

Owen shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is beyond my pay grade."

Ingrid's sibling had been abusing her. The bigger sibling was, if not, more temperamental than her. Ingrid was the timid one. The bigger sibling would take every opportunity it could get to assault Ingrid. The scientists probably assumed it was their way of playing, but Owen knew better. Whatever DNA the scientists had spliced up for the hybrid dinosaurs, it had made them smart.

Very smart.

The bigger sibling memorised the guard's shift patterns and used it to its advantage. When the guards were absent, it would start its abuse regime on its younger sister as a way to vent its pent-up frustration. It would lash at Ingrid and claw at her. Ingrid had been pushed to her limits and was given no choice but to retaliate. She fought back and ended her assailant's life.

Owen sighed as he tossed the stack of documents on his table. "I bet my year-worth of salary those sadistic assholes back in the lab knew all this. They knew Ingrid has been tormented by her sibling. It's probably a sick game to them to test these dinosaurs' emotion capacity. They just can't be bothered to do anything to resolve her mental trauma or emotional plight. Damn it!"

The ex-Navy slammed a fist on his table and growled. "I think I might need a word with those jackasses soon."

What actually saddened Owen was the fact that Ingrid went into a reclusive state for a week after she had killed her sibling. She didn't eat for days and stood at the same spot as she did when she took her sibling's life. She was experiencing depression like a human being! Owen tousled his rugged brown hair and let out a seething breath. "She probably didn't attack her sibling earlier because she didn't want to lose any means of social interaction. Now she's alone in that cage."

The ex-Navy clenched his fists and stood up. "This is not going to be easy."

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

The next morning, Owen went to his raptor's enclosure earlier than others. He had an epiphany; if he wanted to help Ingrid, he needs to devote his time on her. That's the only way for her not to sink deeper and become a deranged killer. If things went unchecked, she might even plot her way out for a hunting spree.

When he reached his destination, he wasn't surprise when he saw Barry cleaning the cage all by himself. If there was one person more dedicated to taking care of the raptors than him, it was Barry. He was always the first to be at the enclosure and the last to leave.

Barry tossed the mop aside and wiped his hands with his towel that was stashed behind his back. "I see that you're earlier than usual."

"I got some things to tell you. You got a sec?"

"Yeah, sure." The caretaker folded his arms. "What is it?"

"The higher-up wants me to train their new dinosaur."

Barry was taken aback by the news and cocked a brow. "What? Why? What kind of dinosaur?"

"It's a hybrid. The scientists cooked up some really angry and intelligent dinosaur. And they need me to calm it down. I have to be away for a few days."

Barry sighed. "What about Blue? Charlie? Delta? Echo? I can't do this myself, Owen."

"Look." Owen placed an assuring hand on Barry's shoulder. "I'm not leaving my girls. I'll come back once I get things sorted out. But before I go, I need to do something."

"Do what?" The caretaker narrowed his eyes in scrutiny. "I don't like that look in your eyes. Something is telling me that you're about to do something crazy and I'm not gonna like it."

The ex-Navy chuckled and strode past his colleague. "Open the gates. I want to talk to the girls up close."

"W-What?" Barry seized Owen's shoulder and pulled him back. "Open the gates? Are you out of your mind? You're gonna get yourself killed!"

Owen took a deep breath and cleared his throat. He had to do this. Mustering a firm visage, the ex-Navy stared straight into his friend's eyes. "If I can't do this, I won't survive what the higher-ups want me to do. You saw what happened yesterday. The new guy fell into the cage. I went in and they didn't kill me."

Barry gritted his teeth and argued. "They were about to! This is madness."

"I trust them." Owen said with conviction and determination shone in his eyes. "And I believe they trust me. I just need to form that last part of our connection. I need to do this, Barry. Nothing is going to stand in my way. So open the gate. I'm not gonna repeat myself."

Barry sighed. He knew Owen was like a father to the raptors. Yes, the raptors acknowledged the ex-Navy, but was it because he was a food-source? No one knows. And nobody would want to clarify it. It's downright suicidal. The raptors might be intelligent, but they operate with their instincts and that made them unpredictable. Still, Barry couldn't say no to Owen. "I'm not gonna clean up your corpse."

"You won't need to." Owen grinned as the gate to the enclosure rose. He casually strolled into the cage and let out a whistled. As if on cue, the raptors dashed out to investigate the commotion, only to see Owen standing before them. His posture was strong and firm; he exuded no fear, something that actually intimidated the raptors.

"Good morning, Blue." Owen shifted his attention to the other raptors. They were all eyeing him predatorily. "Charlie, Delta, Echo."

Delta stared at Echo. Echo, in turn, stared at Charlie. Charlie stared at their de facto leader, Blue for guidance. They didn't encircle themselves around their Alpha like they would on a prey. And that stunned Barry, who was observing behind closed gates.

"I'm not here to ask any of you to stand down." The ex-Navy took a bold step forward. "I believe all these years of training and nurturing have earned myself the right to be your Alpha."

Echo started to hiss, but a growl from Blue had silenced her.

"I know the four of you are smart enough to know what's going on. And I know you girls recognize me." Owen took another small step forward. "Delta, do you remember when you used to nib on my pants when you're scared? You used to be the most active one too."

Delta tilted her head sideways, as if pondering.

"And Charlie." Owen smirked as he turned his attention to the raptor with a green hue on her hide. "You used to be the crybaby amongst your siblings. You always come to me whenever Echo and Delta push you around. And you love the teddy bear that I gave you. I remembered how you couldn't sleep without your teddy in your crib."

Charlie blinked and lowered her snout.

"Echo!" Owen's exclamation caught the bronze-skinned raptor's attention and she snarled at her Alpha. "The troublemaker in the group. You caused Blue so much trouble. Don't think I didn't know it was you who stole that packet of Doritos from Barry, you cunning girl. And you even blamed it on Charlie."

Much to the ex-Navy's amusement, Charlie roared dryly at an apathetic Echo, who simply looked away.

"Alright, alright. Easy there, Charlie. No one is pointing fingers. The past is the past." Owen returned his sight at Blue, who was being awfully silent. He took another step forward and had entered their kill-zone. One wrong move and he would probably die. But he won't let it happened. He took one more step forward and incited Charlie, Delta and Echo's growl.

Owen recognized that growl. It was low-pitched, but lengthy. It was them indicating that they were anxious and unease. "I'm not gonna hurt any of you. And you know that, don't you? Blue?"

Blue blinked.

Raising his hand slowly, Owen carefully approached the lead raptor. He maintained eye-contact with Blue throughout the entire situation. It was Owen's way of showing his respect for the raptors. When he talked to his girls, he never once dropped a glance. He gave them the respect they deserved. Blue let out a soft serpentine hiss, uncertain with what Owen was about to do.

"Easy, easy." Owen smiled and reached for Blue's snout. He gently stroked her scale and softened his gaze. "Remember that time when Charlie fell sick and you stayed up all night with her? I was with you, telling you that she's gonna be okay. And that time when you had your first hunt? You tripped and hit your face on a rock. Lose a couple of teeth and was bleeding all over. You didn't even whimper when I removed the splinters from your gums. You're such a strong girl. I remember every moment we shared together."

Blue nuzzled Owen's cheek.

It was her way of telling her Alpha that she, too, remembered.

The ex-Navy grinned and beckoned the other raptors forward. Charlie was the first to rush to Owen like a puppy and accepted his embrace. She even let out a light purr when her Alpha petted her. Delta, the hyperactive one, followed her sister and nuzzled her Alpha's arm.

Echo trudged towards Owen and glared at her Alpha. The ex-Navy knew everything about Echo's behaviour. She was also the most violent amongst her sibling, simply because of her insecurity. She was the youngest. And the youngest of the pack was always deemed the weakest. She didn't like when Blue tried to protect her like a mother would. She also didn't like when Delta flaunt her seniority at her. She became cranky and impulsive.

Owen knew it all. After all, he practically raised them. "Echo, I know you hate showing weakness to people. But if you want to stand as equals with Blue, you have to come to terms with your emotions. Blue protects you because she cares about you. And because she is the oldest. Am I right, Blue?"

Blue gave her approval with a grunt.

"Come here, Echo." It was not a request. It was an order. The raptor approached her Alpha and lowered her head. "Hey, hey. Echo, eyes on me."

Echo looked up and blinked.

"I don't want you to give me that shit. I don't want to see you lower your head to anybody. You stand tall and proud. You hear me?"

The raptor let out a boisterous roar before she licked the ex-Navy's face. Owen chuckled and stroked Echo's neck. "Good girl."

Barry witnessed what had transpired before him with a dumbfounded expression on his face. He just couldn't believe what he was seeing. The raptors had not displayed any sign of hostility at Owen. It was… a miracle! And what truly amazed Barry was the fact that he had forgotten to feed the raptors their breakfast that morning. That would mean they didn't solely rely on their instincts to comprehend their surroundings!

"Where does Owen get those balls of steel from?" The caretaker shook his head and walked away.

Standing behind the cage, Vic Hoskins grinned darkly and dialled a few numbers on his phone. When the line connected, Vic's grin widened. "The raptors are ready. We can turn them into our weapons."

X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X.o.X

I hope you like this chapter. Let me know how you feel about this story.

Review!


End file.
